Just Another Reason
by LaDyRoZe
Summary: Naruto and Kazuko OC have been friends since ever and Naruto thinks it can be more. It's sometimes the little things that can make you fall head over heels, can Naruto tell Kazuko how he feels? Rated M for caution NarutoXoc
1. Friends Poem Thing

You know a true friend when:

They stick up for you when you're down even if it's small and stupid

They break into your house because they have a bad dream then soak your shirt with tears as they tell you about it

You both get slobbering drunk and they still make you breakfast in the morning

You go to a dance and don't have to worry because you know you're the one they are going home with

You go to visit them when they get hurt and find out they got messed up defending you

They still love you, even if you don't feel very lovable

They went out of there way when they were a kid to talk to a snot nosed kid who was a little brat

Even after all of the crap above they still love you to death and make a point to tell you so


	2. Keep Holding On

Sorry for some reason it didn't save what I wanted it to. So here it is: Hi I'm LaDyRoZe but you can just call me Roze… or rabid monkey, whatever works for you XD! Uh this is my first fanfic so if it sucks I'm sorry! Although even if it is my first fanfic and it took a lot of courage to put this up I want you guys to be totally honest; if it sucks tell me!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, merely this idea and Kazuko! If I owned Naruto, trust me things would be a lot different!

**Chapter 1 – Keep Holding On**

Kazuko looked up from her table as a blonde crashed into the room. "About time you showed up." She said casually as the blonde sat across from her. "Sorry I ran into that Teme on the way here." He said and Kazuko sighed "Sure, you always seem to find some plausible excuse or other when it's your turn to pay Naruto." Naruto smiled apologetically "Yeah well, I actually ran into him this time!" Kuzuko raised an eyebrow at him and he tried to recover "Wait. That's not what I meant;" He said "I meant that I actually had a scuffle with him today." Kuzuko kept her eyebrow raised. "And?" she asked and Naruto's head fell "I lost." Then his head shot up "But he cheated! He used a fan shield so I couldn't do anything! I'LL KILL YOU TEME!"

Naruto was cut off by a group of giggling girls. "Oh he was so cute! And he beat that loser practically with his arms tied behind his…" The girl who was talking stopped as another girl coughed and pointed over at a fuming Naruto. "Oh," she said sizing him up "Hey loser. Enjoy your beating?" The girls behind her giggled as their leader humiliated Naruto. "Don't listen to them Naruto." Kazuko said not even looking at them. Naruto looked at her his eyes almost pleading; he had to go through most of his childhood with people looking down at him all the time… This might be bringing up bad memories, or the fear that it was starting again. '_He's come so far…Stupid fangirls.'_

Naruto sat down defeated as the fangirls -very on purpose- sat at a table near them. "Did you notice he was wearing a different shirt? How hot!" and they continued to degrade Naruto/compliment Sasuke –very loudly-. When Kazuko started to get nauseous and Naruto looked more and more beaten she finally snapped. "Oh Sasuke-kun! **Nobody** could beat him" Kazuko tried to hold back a laugh –failing- and the girl turned to look at her. "And what is so funny?" she asked and Kazuko just shook her head. "Oh nothing. I was just thinking… How could you people be so stupid?" Kazuko turned to look at them "I mean who in their right mind would like that jerk?" The girls gasped and all looked at her like she was crazy. "Shut up! Sasuke-kun is the hottest guy in Konoha!" Kazuko laughed again "Don't get me wrong, sure he's cute enough. If you're into emo, gay, douche bags."

Naruto couldn't help but laugh as Kazuko turned and looked at Naruto completely ignoring the speechless girls behind her. Suddenly the leader –who started the whole thing- stood up and screeched "TAKE IT BACK!" Kuzuko turned back around and just looked up at her. "No. Why should I take back what's true?" she said simply. The girl now looked at her like she was speaking blasphemy. "TAKE IT BACK OR SO HELP ME I'LL…" she stopped loosing her confidence at the look Kuzuko was giving her and tried to finish her sentence but only a squeak came out.

"Don't yell at me." Kazuko said in a disgusted insulted voice "If you even **look** at me again, I'll kick your ass. Got it?" The girl only nodded, having lost all her nerve. "Oh. And if I ever catch you talking to Naruto like that again, I'll kill you." Her tone was so dead serious even Naruto was getting a little anxious, but that was nothing compared to the girls caught in Kuzuko's glare. She suddenly smiled at them and said "Good! Now that we understand each other you can leave so we can enjoy our meal!" The girls didn't need to be told a second time, they hightailed it out of the building like it was about to fall down.

Naruto was laughing his head off when Kazuko turned around. "Finally some piece and quiet." Naruto stopped laughing and looked at her with an extremely serious face. "Naruto," Kazuko said as she was about to take a bite. "Why are you staring at me like that?" Naruto stared at her a second more before saying "Thank you." Kazuko looked back at him, his stunningly blue eyes were brighter than usual and she felt like she was going to drown in whatever was hidden within them. She quickly looked down at her food hiding a blush and said "Yeah, yeah. They were really irritating me, so no problem."

Naruto smiled at her then started shoveling his food in like he hadn't eaten for days. Kazuko sighed grateful that he was back to himself again. Kazuko started eating her food so she didn't see a smile return to Naruto's face. '_Thank you, Kazuko. Not many people would do that for me. That's just another reason why I love you… Even though you don't know it yet.'_


	3. Sweet Dreams

Hey guys! It's been a little since I've been on but whatever. Here's chapter 2 remember to Read and Review!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Kazuko on the other hand… Yeah he's wrapped around her finger!

Kazuko ran up the stairs of her apartment building in her pajamas silently crying. She ran down a hallway and stopped in front of a door and even though she knew she should knock she just walked in and hurried to where she knew the bedroom was. When she got there she crawled onto the bed and laid next to a snoring lump cuddling with it a little while she continued to silently cry. After a little she hiccupped and the form shifted, it turned over to her and looked at her with bleary eyes before sitting up right and looking at her with concern.

"Kazu what's wrong?" Naruto asked leaning down to look her in the eyes which were red from crying. Kazuko looked up at him with a weird look in her eyes and said "I had a bad dream. I'm sorry I didn't knock." Naruto shook his head before moving her under the covers and pulling her closer to him. "Its fine, you don't have to knock." He said kissing her softly on the forehead and wrapping his arms around her and she cuddled into his chest. Despite the fact that Naruto was enjoying himself his concern for Kazuko was ruining any chances for him to make any moves.

"Want to tell me about it?" Naruto asked softly stroking Kazuko's hair comfortingly, it was silent for a minute and he could feel Kazuko shaking as she tried to hold back tears. "Shhh you don't have to if you don't want to." Kazuko looked up at him with a look he had never seen her give him, he couldn't explain exactly what it said but she looked lost, or like she hadn't seen him in a long time. "No… I-I want to t-tell y-you." She said trying to calm down he continued to stroke her hair and after she stopped crying she continued "Y-you died," she said and Naruto finally understood why she couldn't stop looking at him

"We were fighting Sasuke and he stabbed you and other people fought him off but I went to help you. Y-your stomach was bleeding a-and I t-tried to stop it from b-bleeding but you told me n-n-not to." Kazuko said starting to cry again "I said you were being s-stupid and to shut up and let me h-help you, but you pushed my hand away. Th-then you said s-something." She paused as she started to cry even harder and Naruto comforted her expecting the worst of what he could have said to her "What did I say?" He asked calmly and she took a couple of deep breaths before continuing "Y-you said that you loved me, then you d-died… in my a-arms with your b-blood all over me."

Kazuko buried her head into Naruto's chest his eyes wide, he hadn't expected that and didn't know what he should say so her just held her and stroked her hair until "I promise," He said hoping something comforting would come out "I will never die on you, and I definitely won't be killed by that Teme." Kazuko looked up at him her eyes looking more relieved "You better not." She said yawning her crying finally wearing her out. She leaned her head against his chest and soon she was softly snoring and Naruto chuckled "Who knew that me dieing would be so tiring?" He said stroking her hair and closing his eyes "Kazu," He said his mind starting to slip back into sleep "I love you," he yawned widely as he rolled onto his back "And I'm glad you didn't knock." Then Naruto gave into his tiredness and fell asleep with Kazuko close beside him.


	4. Angel

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Naruto, I am merely a fangirl who has nothing better to do than create my own characters and then write about them XD.

"Come on Kazu, what's the surprise?" Naruto said walking forward blindly as Kazuko guided him covering his eyes. She had told him to meet her at her house so he did; amazingly he showed up on time and knocked at the door. She opened the door and pulled him in and when he was about to protest she turned him around and covered his eyes. So here he was being led blinded through her house to some unknown location. Soon she stopped him and he heard her switch a light switch before saying "Okay ready?" Naruto nodded and she removed her hands.

He was facing her living room with the lights dimmed, the furniture pushed up against the walls, a pile of blankets and pillows on the floor, a stack of his favorite movies next to her TV and their coffee table filled to bursting with snacks and… "No way!" he said rushing over and lifting a large bottle of Sake from the middle and looked at her "How… how did you get this?" He asked eyeballing the large jug to make sure it was the real deal "Someone owed me a favor." She said walking over next to him leaning on him with one arm and looked at him "So do you like it?"

Naruto turned to Kazuko putting down the Sake and pulled her into a hug "It's great! But what's it for?" He asked leaning back to look at her. She smiled at him and said "For being you. We haven't been able to hang out for a while because we have been on so many missions so I thought since my mom was gone we could have a sleepover… like we used to, only this time with Sake." She said laughing. "So what do you want to do first? Movies, scary stories, a game, or what?" Naruto looked around and when his eyes flowed across the jumble of blankets he thought 'You won't want to do what I do.' "Uh a movie sounds good." Kazuko smiled and put on the movie while Naruto loaded a plate full of snacks and brought it over with the jug and two cups.

They settled down on the floor leaning up against the back of her couch as the movie started. Naruto scooted closer to Kazuko since the snacks were on his lap and he tried to stop the dirty thoughts that crossed his mind every time she grabbed for some. Halfway into the movie Kazuko was clinging to Naruto trying to hide her face in his shoulder while at the same time trying to watch the movie. Naruto knew that she didn't like this movie but he loved it! It was packed full of awesome zombie-slaying-green blooded- gory-screaming action. Naruto put an arm around Kazuko comfortingly as he (almost literally) mouthed every line in the movie and pointed out how fake it looked in parts where Kazuko looked like she was about to cry.

After the movie they decided to eat and drink and talk about junk that was happening in their lives even if they did spend most of their time together. Whenever Naruto tried to quote the movie they just watched Kazuko would throw something at him and he would laugh while trying to dodge it. After they deemed they were full/drunk enough to watch another movie Naruto put on a comedy and crawled back to his spot next to Kazuko (slightly closer than last time) and she semi-leaned against him as they both laughed their heads off at the movie.

After they finished most of the movies both of them were too tired and drunk to get thoughts to run straight so they decided to fall asleep to the last movie. When the movie was on Kazuko turned off the light and got under the covers next to Naruto. They ended up cuddling as they tried to stay awake for the movie but failed and eventually fell asleep with Kazuko cuddling up against Naruto's chest.

In the morning Naruto woke up with a killer headache and most of his memories still intact. He tried to sit up but a weight was holding him down. He opened his eyes and looked down to see Kazuko's head on his chest pinning him down with an arm and a leg and he sighed. He decided to wait until she woke up because he actually liked this, and every time she moved, her knee would rub up against his hardening erection and he moaned.

When she finally woke up she smiled at him before getting up to make coffee and to get the painkillers and Naruto got up to follow her around. When breakfast was made Naruto looked at Kazuko from across the table "What?" she asked when she caught him doing so. "Do I say that you're the best friend ever enough?" He asked shoveling eggs into his mouth and Kazuko laughed "Yes, but it's always good to hear." Naruto swallowed before saying "Good, because you are **the BEST **friend anyone could have and I'm glad you are mine."

Kazuko smiled at him "Good to hear." She said before she went to clean the dishes Naruto watched her walk out and sighed _'I don't know what I would do without you.'_ He thought while staring at her back as she scrubbed a stubborn spot on a plate _'You're my best friend and I love you too much to let you go.' _Naruto smiled to himself before standing up and going to help wash dishes.


	5. Irreplaceable

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, if I did I would be rubbing it in peoples faces and making the characters do strange random things.

"Hey did you guys hear about the Spring Dance?" Sakura asked as the class sat waiting for 4th period to start. Naruto looked at her from where he laid on his desk "Yeah kinda… Hey Sakura," He said sitting up and turning to her "You wanna go with me?" Sakura snorted at him as Kazuko rolled her eyes "Yeah fat chance. I wanna go with Sasuke-kun!" She said getting a dreamy look in her eyes while Sasuke avoided eye contact. Naruto turned back in his seat and pouted "Man there isn't really anyone else I wanna go with." If Naruto was going to say anything else it was stopped by a book to the head "OW WHAT WAS THAT FOR KAZU?" He asked rubbing his head and turning to see her looking out the window. "Thanks Naruto I didn't want to go with you either. I guess I can tell Kiba yes now." Naruto was about to retort but his brain switched tracks "You mean someone already asked you?"

Kazuko looked at him "Yeah, Kiba and a couple of random guys I didn't even know. I told them all no though because I though we were gonna go, but since you changed your mind…" Naruto stood up "Oh Hell No!" He said and sat down facing her and rested his chin on her desk "No one else would go with me." And Kazuko smiled at him "That's what I thought you said." They were shut up when Asuma walked in and started the class. After school when Naruto and Kazuko were walking home the dance came back up into topic "So are we gonna go shopping for clothes?" Naruto asked. Kazuko smiled at him "Nope." She said and he looked at her confused "Why not?" Kazuko just kept smiling "I already have something my mom bought it for me." Naruto smiled back at her. "Well I guess I have to get something now." Naruto turned on his heels and started running down the road. "I'll see you later Kazu!" He called "Pick you up at 7!"

Naruto waited calmly fiddling with his button up shirt, he was never one for tuxes so he picked a white button up shirt and black dress pants and in his opinion he looked pretty hot. He jumped when the door opened and relaxed a bit when he saw it was Kazuko's mom. "Hey mom!" he said as she invited him in a large smile on her face "Hi Naruto, nice to see you. Kazu-dear will be down in a little." She walked back onto her work room and looked back at him with a smile on her face before closing the door. Naruto got bored of waiting so he started looking around at pictures in the house.

Naruto was smiling at picture of him and Kazuko when they first became friends in the 7th grade when he heard someone clearing their throat. When Naruto turned around his jaw dropped, Kazuko was standing there in a knee-length light orange halter dress with almost no back and a slit in the side with strappy shoes and matching jewelry. Her hair was half back and her hair was curled. "Kazuko," Naruto said closing his mouth and bumping into something on his way over to her "I… you… I mean." Naruto didn't know what to say and kept looking Kazuko up and down, Kazuko giggled and Naruto took a deep breath. "You look wonderful, shall we?" he asked linking arms with her and walking her out to a nice car.

Kazuko looked confused for a minute before Naruto smiled guiltily "Iruka let me borrow it." Kazuko smiled and said "Was that wise?" Naruto glared at her "Hey! I can take care of it!" She laughed again as he opened the door for her and she got in, he did the same when they got there (alive and in one piece) Naruto kept glancing at her every few minutes and smiled. "What?" she asked once when they were dancing and he smiled goofily at her. "Nothing, just having fun." They danced most of the night and every once in a while some guy would come up and ask her to dance. She asked Naruto if he would mind and he said no –even if he sort of did- and he would watch her dance without him.

Once when that was happening Kiba walked past "Hey Naruto!" Naruto looked away from Kazuko dancing with Neji "Kiba! Having a good time?" Kiba nodded "Yeah how about you?" He asked before looking around like he lost something "Hey where's Kazuko?" He asked and Naruto pointed over his shoulder and Kiba whistled "You better watch out man, I'm sure there are several people who'll gladly take her home… and do a couple of other things." He said watching Kazuko over Naruto's shoulder. Naruto just smiled and said "Don't worry, she can dance with anyone she likes, because whether they like it or not, **I'll** be the one she's going home with. So no worries." Kiba smiled at him before continuing on his way to bring refreshments to his date (cough Roukan cough).

Near the end of the dance a slow song started to play and Naruto noticed a guy closing in on them so he quickly grabbed Kazuko. She gasped a little at the sudden movement but relaxed when Naruto placed his hands on her hips and she looped her arms around his shoulders. They stayed like that for a little before Naruto took a step and closed the gap between them "Naruto what…?" he hushed her and said "Please just for now." Kazuko rested her head on his shoulder and asked "What's with you tonight Naruto? You're acting a little strange." Naruto shook his head "It's nothing, just felt like dancing with you."

They danced in silence for most of the song and Kazuko felt some strain in Naruto. "Hey Naru?" Naruto tensed again and she looked up at him, something was hidden in his blue eyes as he looked back at her. "What's really wrong?" She asked softly knowing that he could never hide something from her. Naruto opened his mouth but nothing came out so he tried again. "Kazuko," he started "Kazu, I…" he was cut off by the song ending and he sighed "I think I need to sit down for a little. Thanks for the dance." Without another word Naruto left Kazuko on the dance floor and quickly left the room.

Naruto was lying on the hood of the car leaning on the windshield when Kazuko walked out of the building. She looked around and when she spotted him on the car she walked over and climbed up next to him. He looked over at her a troubled look on his face. "That look again." She said pulling his cheek "Ow Kazu that hurt!" Naruto complained rubbing his cheek where she pinched it; Kazuko sighed and laid back and leaned against Naruto. "Hey Kazu about earlier I…" Kazuko shook her head "Whatever, you didn't want to tell me." "But I" he protested and Kazuko shook her head again "I don't wanna know now! I want to know when you're ready to tell me." Naruto was about to protest again when Halo started to pour out from inside "Wanna dance?" Kazuko asked him sliding from the hood and holding out her hand, Naruto smiled and jumped down too and pulled Kazuko close to him as they started to sway in the middle of the parking lot.

Naruto smiled into Kazuko's hair _'Don't worry Kazuko, you'll know soon enough. I mean you can't hold back love forever.'_


	6. What Hurts The Most

Disclaimer: Kazuko would like to point out that I do not own Naruto… and if I even thought about it she would kick my arse.

Kazuko: Damn straight! *walks off with Naruto plushie*

Roze: O.O… I didn't even know she had one of those…. ALL RIGHT WHO'S GIVING MY CHARACTERS PLUSHIES?

Naruto was sitting in his living room playing a video game when the phone started ringing. He ignored it because he was about to beat the last level and he could call them back if it was important. He blasted away as his answering machine picked up 'Hey this is Naruto Uzumaki Believe it! I'm not home right now so leave a message and I'll get back to you.' He faintly heard the beep and heard a frantic voice start talking and that's when he really started to pay attention "Naruto? Honey? Its Kazuko's mom, I'm afraid I have some bad news. It's Kazuko…" Naruto stopped button mashing as his eyes went round "I'm not sure how it happened but she's in the hospital, she was attacked or something and is hurt pretty badly. If you get this… she's asking for you." Naruto stood up as soon as the message ended and rushed to get dressed the 'game over' music repeating itself as he rushed out the door.

"Kazuko Iori's room please!" Naruto said as he ran up to the front desk in the hospital and groaned when the lady decided to take her own sweet time finding the room. "Room 142…" Naruto was off "B." Said the receptionist and she shook her head and went back to playing Shogi on the computer. By some random lucky chance Naruto picked the right room when he burst in "Kazuko?" Naruto saw Kazuko laying on the bed her head bandaged and her arm in a cast. Kazuko's mom looked up at him stood up at the look on his face. "I'll give you two a moment. I'll be back Kazu dear." She said and as she passed Naruto she whispered "Thanks for coming." And softly closed the door behind her.

Naruto walked over and took Kazuko's moms place and grabbed her hand "Kazu! What happened? Are you okay? Is there anything you need?" Kazuko laughed "Jeez Naruto you sound like a worried husband." Naruto blushed and looked down his eyes slowing down on Kazuko's hurt arm. "Seriously! I'm fine!" She said trying to sit up but winced in pain before she laid back down "Well almost, it could have been worse! Besides…" Kazuko laughed and looked at him her eyes shining with excitement. "You should see the other guy; he looks like crap, and probably has a whole lot worse wounds than me." Naruto laughed despite the situation, Kazuko had always been good at defending herself and picking a good fight to boot.

Naruto shook his head and asked "So what did you beat him up for anyway?" Kazuko suddenly looked serious as the smiled faded from her face and she wouldn't look him in the eyes as she softly said "He said some things… that were really insulting to me, so I told him to shut up as nicely as I could and when he didn't I gave it to him." Naruto shook his head "Idiot!" that was priceless coming from him "Why would you start a fight over something stupid that some jerk said anyway?" Kazuko still wasn't looking him in the eyes "It was nothing… he just said some things." Naruto rolled his eyes "Bull! What was it?" Kazuko sighed knowing full well Naruto wouldn't drop the subject for anything short of a full out war. "Well… he… insulted you." Naruto's eyes widened as she continued "He said that you were a sorry excuse for a shinobi, and that they shouldn't even have given you a chance." Naruto unconsciously tightened his grip on her hand and she responded by tightening hers.

"That's when I told him to shut his face and he said 'Oh what? You gonna stand up for that monster? I'm surprised you can even hang around him without dying!' and… and that's when I snapped." Naruto noticed that while she was talking tears started to form in her eyes and he gently wiped one away with his free hand. She smiled at him and said "See it's little things like this that makes me sure you're not like they say." Naruto held her hand between both of his stroking it with his thumbs "Kazuko, I would never hurt you." Kazuko smiled at him again "I know." Naruto looked down then away at the door blushing "Kazuko, you remember at the dance… when we were outside?" Kazuko nodded and he continued "I was going to tell you something and you told me not to tell you till I was ready."

Kazuko tried to sit up a little straighter as Naruto talked and Naruto looked back at her "Well Kazu, what I wanted to tell you… What I'm trying to say is… I-" They both looked up as the door burst open and Sakura came running in and flung herself onto Kazuko "Oh Kazuko! Are you okay?" Kazuko was biting her lip trying not to scream as Sakura landed on her hurt arm and said "Yeah, just… get off." Sakura gasped and got up as carefully as she could "S-sorry! I brought you a daffodil to help you get better!" She said placing a slightly mangled flower into a vase on her bedside table. Sakura stayed for a while and talked and Naruto looked kinda put out at the fact she had chosen that moment in time to show up, but when she left Kazuko smiled then turned back to him.

"So Naruto, you were gonna tell me something?" Kazuko asked taking Naruto's hand again and he stroked it absent mindedly. "Huh? No… I-I changed my mind. It's not the right time." Kazuko smiled at him "Okay." They sat there in silence just holding hands when Naruto cracked a huge smile "So does he really look like crap?" Kazuko started laughing "Yeah! Hey, you should give him a visit! I'm sure he would love that!" Naruto started laughing with her his eyes starting to water from it. _'Kazuko, I may not be able to tell you now, but it's undoubtedly there. And I'm glad that we can have moments like these… of utter randomness. And don't worry I'll come visit you everyday, and hopefully my love will help you heal.'_

Okay I hate to tell you, but that's all I have at the moment… so it may be a little before I get anymore up, but I will continue!


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